Wine Spectator's Tasting Highlights

16 Outstanding California Chardonnays

By MaryAnn Worobiec

Tasting Highlights bring the best wines from our editors’ most recent tastings to WineSpectator.com members.

This collection of recently released California Chardonnays comes from all over the state. If you aren’t sure about how many regions can excel with this grape, just look at the diversity of sources here, with top scorers hailing from the Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley and Carneros in the north to the Santa Lucia Highlands and Santa Maria Valley in the Central Coast.

You’ll find some familiar wineries that routinely master this grape, including Pride, Au Bon Climat, Byron and Dehlinger, as well as some newer names to seek out, such as Lucia, Eric Kent and Sanguis.

COMING SOON

JOIN EK ALLOCATION LIST

Direct sales are allocated exclusively to EK Allocation List members at a 10% discount. Orders of 6+ bottles save an additional 50% off shipping. New releases ship twice a year, once in the spring and again in the fall.Join EK Allocation List

CUSTOMIZED ALLOCATIONS

You may customize your spring and fall allocations any way you like, from 0–6 bottles of each wine. (Small-lot and list-only wines may have lower limits.) To modify your allocations, click on MY ALLOCATION above.Join EK Allocation List

REORDERS

Wines often sell out at or close to release, so we encourage making the most of your spring and fall allocations. As long as wine remains, you are welcome to reorder online through our EK Special Order store. Or contact John Gillis at john@erickentwines.com or 415.244.9453.

JOIN EK ALLOCATION LIST

Direct sales are allocated exclusively to EK Allocation List members at a 10% discount. Orders of 6+ bottles save an additional 50% off shipping. New releases ship twice a year, once in the spring and again in the fall.Join EK Allocation List

CUSTOMIZED ALLOCATIONS

You may customize your spring and fall allocations any way you like, from 0–6 bottles of each wine. (Small-lot and list-only wines may have lower limits.) To modify your allocations, click on MY ALLOCATION above.Join EK Allocation List

REORDERS

Wines often sell out at or close to release, so we encourage making the most of your spring and fall allocations. As long as wine remains, you are welcome to reorder online through our EK Special Order store. Or contact John Gillis at john@erickentwines.com or 415.244.9453.